Episode 100

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Published on:

30th Jun 2021

MVP100: The Road To WPN Premium Status

In today's episode we are going straight to the source and exploring what makes the WPN program tick, how to achieve that coveted Premium status for your game store, and how to make the most it.

Luke May is the Retail Experience Specialist for Wizards of the Coast in the UK and Nelson Brown is the Wizards Play Network Community Manager in Seattle, and they join me today to discuss the Premium program and what it takes for a game store to qualify as one of the best shops in the world.

Questions

What is the WPN origin story? Where did the idea for the Premium program come from?

What sets Premium game stores apart? What makes achieving Premium status awesome?

What are the main obstacles that store owners run into during the approval process and how can listeners avoid them?

What is the WPN program trying to achieve?

How can store owners make the most out of their Premium status?

Where can store owners go to get more information?

Links Mentioned During The Interview

Retail Improvement Grant 50% (only available while supplies last)

Why We Buy by Paco Underhill (affiliate link)

Mary, Queen of Shops

UK Retail Expo

wpn.wizards.com

askwpn.wizards.com

WPN Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659498737640125/

How to apply for WPN Premium: https://wpn.wizards.com/article/how-apply-wpn-premium-during-pandemic

WPN articles: https://wpn.wizards.com/grow-your-store

publishergamenights.com

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About the Podcast

The Manaverse Podcast: Magic: the Gathering Business / Game Store Entrepreneurship / LGS Professionals
Grow your business, sell more games.
The Manaverse Podcast is a podcast created for you, the gamer with aspirations of building your own local game store (LGS), the entrepreneur running an LGS who wants to grow their business, and the player who wants a behind the scenes look into their favourite hobby. If you’re looking for inspiration, new ideas, and interesting perspectives then Tom Traplin has you covered. Learn the business of selling some of the best games in the world including Mtg, Warhammer, Warmachine, Dungeons and Dragons, board games and Euro games from some of the best retailers in the industry. Once a week, Tom talks with some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the game industry and pulls out the strategies, tactics, and systems that make their businesses so effective. With a special focus on Magic: the Gathering, you will learn how to level up your LGS and build a better community with Tom Traplin and the Manaverse Podcast.
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Thomas Traplin

Tom Traplin has been involved in the Magic community for the past 18 years in a variety of roles. As a player he played competitively in cities all over North America. As a tournament organizer he's managed hundreds of events and given away thousands of dollars in prizes. As the owner of an LGS he built up a local community and made a living selling Magic cards.

Tom is also the host of the Manaverse Podcast where he interviews some of the best game store entrepreneurs in North America including Pete Hoefling, John Coviello, Lynn Potyen, and many more. He is also a husband, father, business strategist, digital marketer, Dragonball Z fan, and philosopher. Not necessarily in that order.

His mission is to encourage more people to become game store entrepreneurs by giving them the tools and skills they need to succeed.